Pope Francis to give Mass in native tongues

Mon 15 Feb 2016

By Hannah Tooley

Pope Francis will celebrate Mexico's Indian population later today with a visit to heavily indigenous Chiapas state, where he will preside over a Mass in three native languages after a new Vatican decree approved their use in liturgy.

The visit marks the half-way point in the pontiff's five day trip and is aimed at boosting Catholicism in the region.

The first Latin American pope has already issued an apology for the Catholic Church's colonial-era crimes against the continent's indigenous and will celebrate indigenous culture, showing everyone has a role in Mexican society.

Where will the Pope go next?

Holy Mass with the indigenous community of Chiapas at the Municipal Sports Meeting with Families in Víctor Manuel Reyna” Stadium at Tuxtla Gutiérrez Arrive Mexico City Holy Mass with priests, religious, consecrated persons, and seminarians Visit to the CathedralLeave for Ciudad Juárez Visit to a prison Meeting with the World of Work at the Colegio de Bachilleres dello Stato of Chihuahua Departure Ceremony

In a speech he said: "I ask you to show singular tenderness in the way you regard indigenous peoples and their fascinating but not infrequently decimated cultures."

He went on: "The indigenous people of Mexico still await true recognition of the richness of their contribution and the fruitfulness of their presence."

The so called Indian Church has had not always had a smooth relationship with Mexico, it includes a mixture of Catholicism and indigenous culture that includes pine boughs, eggs and references to "God the Father and Mother" in services.

The Monday Mass is expected to include readings, prayers and hymns in the three main indigenous languages of Chiapas: Tzeltal, Tzotzil and Chol, which are spoken by just over one million people, according to Mexico's latest census.

The Vatican has said the Pope will present the official decree authorising the languages to be used as well, some 50 years after the Second Vatican Council paved the way for Mass to be celebrated in the vernacular rather than in Latin.